Winterdance has become a beloved holiday tradition for many families because it captures the warm feelings of a traditional and idealized Celtic Christmas through classic seasonal music and lively Irish stepdance. For the 19th time, the Winterdance Celtic Christmas Celebration is upon us at the Milking Parlor of SLO’s Octagon Barn on winter solstice, Sunday, Dec. 21 (4 p.m.; all ages; $35 presale or $15 for those under 18 at mollysrevenge.com/shows or $40 at the door or $20 for those under 18, space permitting … better to buy tickets than risk not getting in!).
Produced by The Seven Sisters Folklore Society and Molly’s Revenge fiddler John Weed, organizers promise stunning singing as they welcome back the soaring vocals of San Francisco’s Amelia Hogan. As always, the band is filled with the best of the best, including Weed on fiddle and his talented son, Tyler Weed, on banjo and mandolin.
“On guitar, mandolin, and vocals, we’re honored to share the stage with Paul Kotapish of Wake the Dead,” John Weed said. “All-Ireland champion Irish step-dancers Marisa Gilman and Cameron Carson Riddle will bring a percussive and visually stunning element to this 19th year of Winterdance.”
Weed’s spent the last 30 years immersed in various fiddle styles from various folk traditions, exploring Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and old-time fiddle. He has a bachelor’s degree in music from CSU Chico, and in addition to being a full-time performer and instructor, he’s on faculty at Palenke Arts, a multicultural arts organization in Seaside, California.
Kotapish is the master of pretty much any fretted instrument, and like Weed, he’s been onstage for more than 30 years. In addition to Wake the Dead, he plays with The Hillbillies From Mars, Sylvia Herold’s Euphonia, and other Northern California-based acoustic groups. He’s also an editor and feature writer at Acoustic Guitar magazine.
Hogan is a gifted and authentic interpreter of Celtic music who’s equally adept at Scottish, British, and American-styled vocals, singing both contemporary and traditional music. She’s been a headliner at the San Franciso Free Folk Festival since 2004 and frequently hosts Berkeley’s internationally known The Starry Plough Irish Music Session.
Tyler Weed was raised in a musical family. He learned guitar and quickly started earning money backing his father. He discovered flat-picking melodies and developed a passion for jazz, allowing him “to be equally comfortable playing in the Old World fiddle styles as well as using swing-accompaniment on Irish melodies,” his bio explained. He also plays mandolin and banjo.
Dancers Gilman and Riddle competed extensively in their youth with Portland, Oregon’s Murray Irish School of Dance, and today they teach in their respective cities, Portland and San Diego. Their abilities are a sight!
Fab Four Christmas
Numbskull and Good Medicine present Rain: A Beatles Christmas Tribute at the Performing Arts Center on Cal Poly’s campus on Sunday, Dec. 21 (doors at 6, show at 7 p.m.; 5 and older; $66 to $85 at pacslo.org).
Organizers say to expect “note-for-note precision” as this tribute band creates “an electrifying concert experience celebrating the timeless music of the legendary Fab Four.”
Hear music from Sgt. Pepper and the Magical Mystery Tour, along with all your favorite hits. “From energetic classics to reflective favorites, the band delivers an unforgettable performance that appeals to fans old and new,” organizers continued. “With vibrant costumes and psychedelic visuals, Rain creates a stunning concert full of nostalgia and good vibes … [that] promises an extraordinary journey through the eras that captivates hearts and inspires all generations.”
Credit: PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MOTHER CORN SHUCKERS
Shuck yes
The Siren wins the “most shows” contest this week, starting with Merry Shucking X-Mas with The Mother Corn Shuckers and Strange Cake on Friday, Dec. 19 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $17.42 at tixr.com). Playing what they call “beergrass,” the Mother Corn Shuckers deliver a ripping mix of Americana, bluegrass, and country jam rock originals. They’ve been playing this feel-good music since 2010. Strange Cake is a Central Coast funk and jam band. Should be a cool night of local music.
Reel to Real plays a free matinee show on Saturday, Dec. 20 (2 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older). The band calls itself a musical time machine that transports “audiences back to the golden eras of rock and alternative rock from the ’80s and ’90s” as they breath “new life into beloved classics, infusing them with their own unique flair and energy,” according to the band’s bio.
Jingle Bell Funk!—an all-vinyl DJ party featuring funk, disco, and house music—comes to The Siren on Saturday, Dec. 20 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $6.32 at tixr.com). It features DJ Naboh spinning deep cuts and dancefloor bangers.
If you’re feeling talented, The Siren will hold a free Holiday Blues Jam hosted by Ted Waterhouse on Tuesday, Dec. 23 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older). Organizers say, “Bring your instrument and get up onstage with some of the Central Coast’s most talented musicians and rock out to some of your favorite soul, blues, and rock jams. There is no fee to play, just get there early because sign-ups can fill up quick.”
You can also come to watch and listen, and feel free to tip the backing band.
Get a ‘love shove’
On Orgōne’s most recent, Chimera (2024), the ’60s and ’70s-style soul and funk act vacillates between super groovy instrumentals that show off their musical prowess and songs with lyrics about unity and truth. For instance, “Peace for You” sounds like it could be a song War wrote back in the day.
“Rules and regulations/ Tell me what they’re worth/ With greed and domination/ Spreading through this world/ And where is the fire/ That our fathers burned?/ The spark of revolution/ starts in our words/ with peace for you/ And peace for me/ We don’t need hostility.”
SLO Brew Live at Rod & Hammer Rock presents Orgōne on Saturday, Dec. 20 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $32.36 at ticketweb.com).
“We intend our music to have an inhibition-canceling effect,” founding guitarist Sergio Rios explained in press materials. “It speaks to those who may have wallflower tendencies encouraging everyone to own the freakiness that lives inside them and enjoy the spotlight for a little while. Sometimes it takes a nudge to let go and get on the dance floor. And sometimes it takes a big ol’ push … a love shove, if you will. And we’re well versed in those.”
The group is hot off a European tour as the backing band for Brooklyn’s female-led Say She She, so they’re eager to return to the spotlight and showcase their heavy soul, Afro-funk, and disco over three California dates.
“We can’t wait to share Orgōne’s music live again in our home state,” Rios continued. “This run of shows is special for us—it’s a chance to reconnect with our fans and celebrate the music we’ve created together, a chance to cut loose and do what we’ve cultivated for so long. We’re revved up.”
Tolliver opens.
Irish Christmas
The Clark Center and Kerry Irish Productions present An Irish Christmas on Friday, Dec. 19 (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday, Dec. 20 (2 p.m.; all ages; $32 to $70 at clarkcenter.org). It will be a family-friendly evening filled with Irish song and dance focused on the holiday spirit.
“Experience the joy of An Irish Christmas as seen on PBS!” organizers announced. “Enjoy all the holiday carols you know and love plus a spectacular high-energy display of Irish dancing at its very best.”
Get your Irish on.
Rebel soul yell
Burley Thistles have delivered another barn-burning single in “Oh Yeah,” which you can find on YouTube and various streaming services. It’s got a ripping guitar riff, over which frontman Easton Everett sings, “All around the world today/ Hope and peace for a better day/ A deep breath and a touch of life/ People gather round now to make it right.”
It’s a song of hope during a dark time for many, a song about holding your head up and leading with love and hope. The thundering rocker reminds me of The Cars—maybe because Cars guitarist Elliot Easton plays with Burley Thistles—or Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, or Tom Petty. Not in sound as much as vibe. Easton Everett and Burley Thistles play Frog and Peach on Saturday, Dec. 20 (9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; 21-and-older).
Get ready to rock and roll, baby. ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Dec 18-25, 2025.